D. A. M. P. syndrome Dementia Home page
- Used when the person has a combination of ... problems
- My daughter was diagnosed about 6 years ago
- This syndrome seems to overlap into different categories
- ..a medical concept of developmental disorder
- Find help
1
Our first source is here and links have been added:
Disorder of attention, motor co-ordination and perception (DAMP)
Used when the person has a combination of these problems. The perceptual problem may, for example, be dyslexia.
Advice for parents
If parents are given one or more of the difficult behaviour labels listed above (more), but feel that their son or daughter has features of an autistic spectrum disorder, the first step is to discuss this with the professional who has made the diagnosis.
If this professional insists that autism, in any of its forms, is not present, the parents should ask to be referred to someone who specialises in the field of autistic spectrum disorders.
The NAS Autism Helpline is able to give information about professionals with a special interest in autistic disorders in different areas of the UK. here
Written by Lorna Wing
Consultant Psychiatrist source
2 Debbie123 writes:
My daughter was diagnosed about 6 years ago and is almost 18 now. DAMP stands for:-
D - Deficits/Disorder
A - Attention (ADHD)
M - Motor Control (Dyslexia/Dyspraxia)
P - Perception (Aspergers Syndrome).
As many will know there is very little documentation, help, support for children with DAMP. The easiest way (if you can call it easy) to find out about DAMP is to research/read/look at the individual elements that make up DAMP ie dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and Aspergers. Some children may have one or more of these elements taking over others at any one time. Usually I can tell by my daughter's reaction which element I'm dealing with, sometimes one is more prevalent than the others, sometimes I'm dealing with the whole lot at once!!!
Children with DAMP tend to target one of the parents, usually the mother. I used to laugh when told this as my daughter didn't do anything to corroborate this but boy is she making up for lost time!!! By making yourself aware of the individual components, you can be armed to deal with any potential outbursts and more importantly be ready for any negative comments etc that inevitably come from family members, schools etc. It's so easy for children to be labelled as badly behaved, naughty etc as they can't see beyond the behaviour. DAMP comes under the umbrella term of Autistic Spectrum Disorder and I always use an example of Tourettes Syndrome (which is on the same spectrum) and ask doubting Thomas' do you expect someone with Tourettes Syndrome to be able to control their tics, swearing and spitting. The answer is no, well as far as I am concerned children with DAMP can't control their outbursts etc.
more at source
Debbie's daughter isn't shown here. Many afflicted with DAMP can lead almost normal lives when the appropriate care is available.
3
DAMP - Deficits in Attention; Motor Control and Perception
This syndrome seems to overlap into different categories: autism, dyspraxia and ADHD. When ADHD
is combined with motor-perceptual problems (also referred to as Developmental Coordination Disorder
or dyspraxia) some clinicians refer to DAMP (Deficits in Attention, Motor control and Perception).
When problems are very severe and all the diagnostic features listed below are present the criteria for
Hyperkinetic Disorder may be met. Thus, ADD, DAMP, and Hyperkinetic Disorder are all subtypes of
ADHD.
Tina Yates who runs the Irlen Institute in Suffolk is familiar with this syndrome. Tina is happy to talk to families about this condition and discuss the problems they may be facing.
Contact: Tina Yates Tel: 0774 533 3314
Email: tina@irleneast.com
source at foot of page 53 here
Helen L. Irlen,
Founder & Executive Director: Irlen Institute International Headquarters source
4
What is DAMP Syndrome ?
By Dr. Shinichi Hirabayashi,
Neurology Dept.,
Nagano Prefectural Children’s Hospital
Nagano Children's Hospital exterior, hospital of Azumino City - graphic source here
The DAMP syndrome, a medical concept of developmental disorder that stands for
deficits in attention, motor control and perception, originally proposed by Gilberg of
Sweden and others, has been adopted in Japanese as it is due to lack of better Japanese
words.
While the concept is still unfamiliar in this country, it is clinically important.
DAMP was defined in the 1970s and must meet the following requirements:
(1) cross-situational impairing attention deficit, with or without impairing
hyperactivity/impulsivity,
(2) impairing deficit in at least one of the following areas; gross motor, fine motor,
perception or speech-language,
(3) the absence of clear mental retardation and cerebral palsy/other major neurological disability.
Severe DAMP is diagnosed in cases showing the combination of
(1) all of the deficits listed under
(2). Later, due to the fact that children with perceptual abnormality virtually always had
some impairing motor control problems, and in order to comply with DSM, the
international diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Association, DAMP has
been defined as the combination of ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and
DCD (developmental coordination disorder). Defined in this way, DAMP constitutes a
sub-type of the diagnostic category of ADHD, accompanied by DCD.
More on Dr. Shinichi Hirabayashi via Google here.
5
Find help
Start with your GP. See 3a here.
Register with your county provision (here).
Login to Debbie's page (No.2) and start talking.
Email Tina (No. 3) and start talking.
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